Screening for Occupational Lung Cancer: An Unprecedented Opportunity

Steven B Markowitz; Brittany Dickens

doi:10.1016/j.ccm.2020.08.016

Screening for Occupational Lung Cancer: An Unprecedented Opportunity

Clin Chest Med. 2020 Dec;41(4):723-737. doi: 10.1016/j.ccm.2020.08.016.

Authors

Steven B Markowitz¹, Brittany Dickens²

Affiliations

¹ Barry Commoner Center for Health and the Environment, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Remsen Hall, Queens, NY 11367, USA. Electronic address: smarkowitz@qc.cuny.edu.
² Barry Commoner Center for Health and the Environment, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Remsen Hall, Queens, NY 11367, USA.

PMID: 33153690
DOI: 10.1016/j.ccm.2020.08.016

Abstract

Selected occupational populations are at the highest risk of lung cancer, because they smoke at increased rates and are concurrently exposed to workplace lung carcinogens. Low-dose computed tomography (CT)-based lung cancer screening has an enormous potential to reduce lung cancer mortality in these populations, as shown both in the lung cancer screening studies in the general population and in studies of workers at high risk of lung cancer. Pulmonologists can play a key role in identifying workers at high risk of lung cancer and ensuring that they are offered annual low-dose CT scans for early lung cancer detection.

Keywords: Carcinogens; Lung cancer; Occupation; Screening.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Female
Humans
Lung Neoplasms / diagnosis*
Male
Mass Screening / methods*
Occupational Diseases / diagnosis*
Occupational Exposure / adverse effects*